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Sunday, June 11, 2017

Chicken Scratch Fever

I've been working on some chicken scratch. I think I'll cut these strips apart to use for quilt sashing. They will go into a quilt I'll call Grandma's Apron Strings. I think I have about 12 or 13 more quilt blocks to make for a twin sized quilt so thought I better get moving on the chicken scratch sashing because I need a lot of it. It's a nice summer project. After I get enough strips completed for a row of sashing I'll test it out with the blocks to see if I actually like my idea.

In re chicken scratch:

I used to visit the thrift stores weekly and I felt sorry for any hand work items that I found so I usually purchased them and gave them a good home. I know the makers went to a lot of work to create the items only to have them unloved and unwanted and hanging out in a thrift store. Over the years I picked up several aprons with chicken scratch. I used to use them as a valance at the kitchen window (tied over the curtain rod) but when we remodeled the kitchen we put in new windows and moved them to a spot with a nice view so I got rid of the curtains/valance.

The chicken scratch on the aprons runs all the way from elegant like above ...

...to very simple...

...and all sorts in between.

Sometimes the chicken scratch looks like cross stitch.

Back when I used to make clothes I chicken scratched on a purple gingham blouse I made and on a little pink gingham sundress I made my daughter when she was around 2 years old - both items long gone. Years ago I made a project bag crazy quilt style from old blue jeans and chicken scratched on the yoke of the bag.

I've also seen chicken scratch called depression lace or amish embroidery.

13 comments:

What a neat idea to use those pretty hand works from days gone by. I have several aprons maded by my aunt, but I've not used them much; just too pretty to mess up! Someday someone will probably put them in a garage sale. I need to show your blog to my DIL who is learning to quilt; maybe she will rescue them when I'm gone rather than ditching them! ---"Love"

I love chicken scratch, I had a late friend who used to do it all the time and was lucky enough to be gifted some of her pieces. Odd thing lately I have been thinking of trying my hand at it and now I seem to see it everywhere.

Back a gazillion years ago when I was in junior high in Pennsylvania, we did something called "huck weaving" that was similar to chicken scratch. I've never seen it since! I recently found some chicken scratch at my thrift shop, although I didn't know that was the name for it.

a quilt will look so good with chicken scratch. I t seemed popular a few years ago good to see you are doing some maybe you will revitalise the skill in others too. They will need to enlarge the charity shop when I depart this world as I have so much I have made over the years that no one wants but then my daughters might just get a big skip and through it all into that

Not heard of chicken scratch before, looks a little similar to smocking which I did do as a teenager (in the Dark Ages!). Some lovely pieces for you to work with. The first photo of the pretty turquoise piece really appeals to me - I love turquoise. Looking forward to seeing what magic you weave with them.